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Australian Naval History on 20 May 1945

Australian Naval History on 20 May 1945

On This Day · May 20, 1945 ·

HMAS NORMAN,(destroyer), took under tow HMS QUILLIAM, (destroyer), which was damaged in a collision with HMS INDOMITABLE, (aircraft carrier). HMAS KIAMA, (minesweeper), bombarded Japanese troop positions and installations on the ...

Australian Naval History on 19 May 1945

David Stratton · May 19, 1945 ·

HMAS Adelaide recommissioned as a tender to the Sydney shore establishment HMAS Penguin. ...

Australian Naval History on 18 May 1945

On This Day · May 18, 1945 ·

HMAS COLAC, (minesweeper), towed the damaged ML427 off Moem Reef to Madang, (New Guinea). The motor launch had run aground on the reef two days before ...

Australian Naval History on 16 May 1945

On This Day · May 16, 1945 ·

HM Ships INDOMITABLE, (aircraft carrier), and QUILLIAM, (destroyer), collided off Okinawa. HMAS NORMAN, (destroyer), stood by to assist the damaged QUILLIAM. ...

Australian Naval History on 15 May 1945

On This Day · May 15, 1945 ·

HMA Ships SWAN, (sloop), BUNBURY, (corvette), and three motor launches, shelled Boram Point, Wewak, in support of Australian ground attacks.   ...

Australian Naval History on 14 May 1945

On This Day · May 14, 1945 ·

On May 14, 1945 , while towing the 30-ton ketch STINGRAY from Coconut Island to Thursday Island , HMAS WATCHER , commanded by Commissioned Officer from Warrant Rank Francis G. ...

Australian Naval History on 11 May 1945

On This Day · May 11, 1945 ·

HMAS SWAN, (sloop), recorded in her journal the results of a bombardment in the Wewak area of New Guinea:- ’89 Japanese dead were found after the landing in the area, ...

Australian Naval History on 10 May 1945

On This Day · May 10, 1945 ·

HMA Ships HOBART, ARUNTA, and WARRAMUNGA, with HMS NEWFOUNDLAND, provided covering fire for the Australian amphibious assault on Wewak, New Guinea. In the assault HMA Ships COLAC and IPSWICH, (minesweepers), ...

Australian Naval History on 8 May 1945

On This Day · May 8, 1945 ·

RAN ships and establishments received the signal announcing the end of hostilities against Germany. The Admiralty signalled all ships to ‘Splice the Main Brace’. ...

Australian Naval History on 7 May 1945

On This Day · May 7, 1945 ·

The Admiralty signalled all British naval authorities and ships throughout the world: ‘German High Command has surrendered unconditionally all German Land, Sea and Air Forces in Europe. Effective from British ...

Australian Naval History on 6 May 1945

On This Day · May 6, 1945 ·

HMAS LACHLAN carried out a detailed survey of Tarakan Roads.   ...

Australian Naval History on 5 May 1945

On This Day · May 5, 1945 ·

LEUT George Gosse, RANVR, rendered safe a new type of German oyster mine in the mud on the bed of Bremen Harbour, Germany. The following is an extract from the ...

Australian Naval History on 3 May 1945

On This Day · May 3, 1945 ·

HMA Ships NAPIER, NEPAL, NIZAM and NORMAN, (destroyers), screened the escort carriers STRIKER and RULER, and the fleet oilers WAVE KING and WAVE MONARCH, in the Okinawa area. ...

Australian Naval History on 2 May 1945

On This Day · May 2, 1945 ·

HMA Ships WESTRALIA and MANOORA, (landing ships), completed landing Australian troops at Tarakan. HMA Ships SWAN, (sloop), and COLAC and IPSWICH, (minesweepers), bombarded Japanese positions at Wewak, New Guinea, in ...

Australian Naval History on 1 May 1945

On This Day · May 1, 1945 ·

HMA Ships QUICKMATCH and QUIBERON, (destroyers), operated off Sakishima, Japan, while screening battleships of the British Pacific Fleet. HMA Ships NEPAL, NORMAN, NIZAM, QUICKMATCH, and QUIBERON supported American landings in ...

Australian Naval History on 30 April 1945

On This Day · Apr 30, 1945 ·

HMAS WARRAMUNGA, (destroyer), bombarded Sadua Island, North Borneo, in support of landings by Australian troops. ...

Australian Naval History on 27 April 1945

On This Day · Apr 27, 1945 ·

The River class frigate, HMAS DIAMANTINA, (LCDR M.G. Rose, RANVR), was commissioned. DIAMANTINA was laid down at Walker’s Yard, Maryborough, QLD, on 12 April 1943, and launched on 6 April ...

Australian Naval History on 25 April 1945

On This Day · Apr 25, 1945 ·

HMAS SWAN, (sloop), engaged Japanese targets at Cape Worn, near Wewak, New Guinea. ...

Australian Naval History on 24 April 1945

On This Day · Apr 24, 1945 ·

HMA Ships COLAC and DELORAINE, (minesweepers), bombarded Japanese fortifications at Cape Boiken, New Guinea. ...

Australian Naval History on 20 April 1945

On This Day · Apr 20, 1945 ·

CAPT W. J. Dovers, RAN, was appointed to command Wewak Force and Group 3, of the 1st New Guinea ML Flotilla. The force consisted of HMA Ships SWAN, COLAC, IPSWICH, ...

Australian Naval History on 14 April 1945

On This Day · Apr 14, 1945 ·

The cost of operating the RAN for one day was estimated at Pounds100,000. The DSC was awarded to CMDR H. C. Wright, RAN, and LCDR R. I. Peek, RAN, for ...

Australian Naval History on 12 April 1945

On This Day · Apr 12, 1945 ·

HM Submarine Tapir, (LEUT P. G. Evatt, RANVR), torpedoed and sunk the German submarine U486 in the North Sea north-west of Bergen, Norway, in position 60.44N, 04.39E. LEUT Evatt was ...

Australian Naval History on 11 April 1945

On This Day · Apr 11, 1945 ·

The Australian Government cancelled the building of 10 frigates for the RAN. The ships were:- BALMAIN, BOGAN, CAMPASPE, MURRUMBIDGEE, NAMOI, NEPEAN, WHARBURTON, WILLIAMSTOWN, WIMMERA, and WOLLONDILLY. ...

Australian Naval History on 10 April 1945

On This Day · Apr 10, 1945 ·

Acting LCDR F. M. Osborne RANVR, was awarded a bar to his DSC for conspicuous service, when HMS VANQUISHER, in which he was serving, sank a German submarine in the ...

Australian Naval History on 31 March 1945

On This Day · Mar 31, 1945 ·

The services reconnaissance department (SRD) craft HMAS SEA SNAKE, (A/LEUT D.H. Jarvis, RAN), was commissioned. Japanese kamikaze attacks against Allied naval vessels in the Pacific in the first three months ...

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This podcast series examines Australia’s Naval history, featuring a variety of naval history experts from the Naval Studies Group and elsewhere.
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